Linkage means for press head



Feb. 24, 1970 "P. w. FRISBY 3, 6,5

LINKAGE usms FOR PRESS am Filed March 26, 1969 F162 FIGZ) INVENTOR PAUL W. FRISBY 1 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,496,660 LINKAGE MEANS FOR PRESS HEAD Paul W. Frisby, Salt Lake City, Utah, assignor to Mc- Graw-Edison Company, Elgin, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 26, 1969, Ser. No. 810,548 Int. Cl. D06f 71/08 US. Cl. 3835 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A press having a frame supporting a buck and a cooperating movable head, improved linkage for moving the head directly toward and away from the buck when near and during pressing contact against the buck and primarily laterally of the buck at other times to expose the buck fully without head interference, including power means and a pair of arms, one arm being connected to the head and pivoted to the other arm which other arm in turn is pivoted to the frame and connected to the power means, the pivoted connections being offset laterally of one another relative to the buck, and first stop means engaged to orient the head opposite the buck near and during the pressing contact and second stop means being engaged to orient the arms transversely of one another otherwise.

Garment presses commonly have a stationary buck and a cooperating head that is moved between a pressing position against the buck and a retracted open position spaced from the buck whereupon a garment can be dressed or removed from the buck. The conventional press has a simple scissor type head mounting where an intermediately pivoted arm supports the head at one end and receives powered movements at its opposite end. One serious drawback to this type press is that the raised open head faces directly toward the operator, and since the head commonly has a heated polished pressing surface, much heat radiates directly onto the operator. Various mountings have been used for swinging the head rearwardly away from the buck, but generally such mountings require two power means, including one for elevating the head off the buck and another for rearwardly moving the head laterally of the buck.

This invention relates to the linkage for moving the head relative to the buck. The head in going from the retracted open position to the pressing position is initially moved to approximate opposed but spaced position over the head. Thereafter, the head is moved directly toward the buck until actual pressing engagement is made and suitable pressing pressures are developed. This head movement directly toward or away from the buck eliminates chafing between the respective pressing surfaces. Moreover, since the head assumes an opposed but spaced relationship relative to the buck, a plurality of fine functional features can be performed with the press. For example, it is possible with a steaming head to steam the garment prior to actually pressing it. Secondly, it is possible to draw vacuum in the buck, and the air drawn into the garment is drawn past the heated head and thus becomes heated to more rapidly dry the garment. Further, when the head is fully opened and is laterally displaced from the buck, the buck is fully exposed and accommodates easy dressing on or removing of a garment from the buck. In this laterally displaced open position, the head is only slightly rotated from its pressing inclination facing the buck so that little head heat is radiated toward the operator.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a garment press having improved head supporting means that moves the head to or from the pressing position 3,496,660 Patented Feb. 24, 1970 ice ' from opposed relation to the buck to its open position,

and where only a single power means is needed to operate the head moving means.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for moving the head in the manner described in the preceding object, including a pair of arms pivoted together and connected respectively to the press frame and to the head, cooperating stops between the arms that when engaged orient the head opposite the buck, and where large multiplication of force is possible between that exerted by the power means and that which is sustained between the head and the buck because of the pivot ratio of the arms.

These and other objects will be more fully understood after referring to the following specification and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical press incorporating the teachings of the subject invention;

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are longitudinal section views showing the principle linkage components of the press of FIG. 1 in the various operative stages; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a control suitable for operating the press disclosed herein.

Referring to FIG. 1, the press 10 shown has a frame 12 including table 14 which underlies a buck 16 having pressing surface 18. A head 20 having a pressing surface 22 complementary to buck surface 18 is movable by linkage mean-s 24 to be described into cooperative pressing relationship against the buck.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the linkage 24 includes a head arm 26 and a power means arm 28 which are pivoted together at pivotal connection 30. Stop 32 (FIG. 4) is formed on the power means arm and stop 34 is adjustably secured to the head arm 26, which stops when engaged (FIG. 2) limit counterclockwise rotation of arm 26 relative to arm 28. Tension spring 36 secured between the connections 37 and 38 on the power means and head arms respectively, normally maintains the stops engaged.

Power means arm 28 is mounted on frame 12 at pivotal connection 39, and power cylinder 40 is connected between the power means arm 28, 26 and the frame at pivotal connections 38 and 42, respectively. Operation of the power cylinder 40 thus pivots the power means arm 28 about frame connection 39 and likewise swings the head arm 26 through a like angle about the pivot 39 as long as arm stops 32 and 34 remain engaged (see FIGS. 2 and 3). A stop 46 connected to the frame is engaged by a stop 48 pivotally supported at 49 to the head arm 26 to limit head arm movement when the head 20 carried thereby is opposed to the buck. The stop 46 is adjustable to assure this opposed relationship when the stops become engaged. A spring 50 is connected between the power means arm 28 and frame at connections 37 and 51, respectively, and tends to maintain the head 20 in its retracted open position (FIG. 2).

Expansion of the power cylinder 40 from the position of FIG. 2 rotates the power means arm 28 and the head arm 26 about the frame connection 39 until the stops 46 and 48 become engaged (FIG. 3). Continued expansion of the power cylinder 40 further rotates the power means arm 28 in a counterclockwise direction and thereby moves the arm connection 30 downwardly. Since the stops 46 and 48 are engaged, continued rotation of the power means arm 28 can only and does move the head 20 downwardly towards and against the buck 16.

Preferably the arm connection 30 underlies the buck 16 and is generally in line with the movement of the head 20 towards the buck 16. Preferably also, the frame connection 39 and the arm connection 30 are laterally spaced from one another and oriented so that a line through little 'lateral movement of the arm connection 30 and means 'provided in the head for example, to discharge 32 and 34 are separated.

delivered by the power cylinder. Thus, the increasingiratio 'of relative arm lengths between the connections 38 and the connections becomes inormal to the line of tra i'el of Whereas in the opposite extreme spool position, the port the head toward the buck at sometime between when the 75 communicates with port 78 and the ports 76 and 77 stops 46 and 48 'first become engaged (FIG; 3) and' when communicate with one another. As shown, port 76 is the head 20 engages and presses against the buck 16 exhausted through an adjustable needle valve 81to'atmos- (FIG. 4). If this orientation is maintained there is very 82 and 83, respectively, to opposed chambers 88.and 89 of the power cylinder 40. i

The powercylinder includes a piston 84 connected tcf a rod 86 in a conventional manner so that an imbalance in pressure in opposed chambers 88 and 90 moves the rod 86 and the piston 84 within the cylinder. The piston is shown in the position corresponding to when the press It is thus seen that upon proper adjustment, the press head 20 is retracted or open FIG. 2). For safety reasons, head can be moved between the various operative posia normallycclosed valve 92 is locateiin the line 83 from tions shown in FIGS. 2-4. In the retracted position of port 78 to the chamber '88, tlfe valve being pressure opened FIG. 2, the garment can be dressed on or removed from by sufficient cylinder pressure being at take ofl? connecthe pressing surface on the buck 16.pring 36 causes the tion 93 to the cylinder. The valve 92 is normally mainarm stops 32 and 34 to remain engaged in this position tained open but it can close under conditions to be noted while the head stops 46 and '48 are separated. In the interhereinafter. i mediate position of FIG. 3, the head stops 46 and 48 The other line 94 from the T 71 extends to T 95 engage to orient the head opposed to but spaced from the ;which splits olf to lines 96 and 110. Line 96 communibuck, and the arm stops 32 and 34 may or may not be cates through T 97 and by way of lines 98, 102 and 104 engaged. In the pressingqnosition shown in FIG. 4, the t rough norma ly closed valves 100 and 101 to a diahead stops 46 and 48 remain engaged, while the armstops i phragm actuator 105 for shifting the spool 80 to one position within the valve 74, whefeat the ports 75 and 78 The press would conventionally have as desired suitable communicate and the ports 77 and 76 communicate. The valves 100 and 101 are respectiyely opened manually by thereby very little lateral movement of the head 20 relative to the buck 16 as the head actually engages the buck. W Also' in this regard, the stop 48 preferably has a circular... surface relative to pivot 49 that rolls on the frame stop 10 46 as the head arm 26' moves up and down relative to the frame. 1

steam therefrom, to draw vacuum therein; or to heat the head to a suitable pressing temperature. 'Moreover, suitline 110 from T 95 is directed through' timer controlled able means can likewise be prpvided a}; desired in the valve*112 and line 11?: to onen'nlet side of shuttle valve buck for discharging steam therefrom, drawing vacuum 114, The outlet side 115 of the shuttle valve is directed' therein, or heating the buck. The details of construction through line 116 to diaphragm actuator 118 for shiftof these heating means for the head and/ or buck, vacuum ing the spool 80 to the opposite extreme position, whereat drawing meflns for the head and/or the buck, and the the ports 76' and 78 communicate and the ports 75 and steam discharging means of the head and/or buck are not 77 communicate. Line 120 from T 97 extends through disclosed since such are immaterial to' the subject invennorma ly cibsed Vawe 123, which is manuallyfipened by tion; Some representative art for such disclosures would m'bmentary depression of stop button 63, arid line 124 include United States Patent, Nos. 1,813,610; 1,888,163; to the opposite inlet sides of the shuttle valve 114. 9 V, e The valve 74 is such that the spoolwill remain in either In the head position shown in FIG, 3, the garment can extreme position as set until displaced to its opposite be steamed by steam discharged from the head or can @Xtreme lSiti0n- Consequently, p Control buttons 60 be effectively dried and/or fluffed by drawing vacuuni in and 61 being momentarily and simultaneously depressed, the buck and using aheated head. line pressure is transmitted via lines 94, 96, 98, 102 and Because of the arm mounting of the head, a large mul- -104, and valves 100 and 101 to diaphragm actuator 105 tiplication of force can be generated comparing the piess- 45 which shifts the;spool 80 in the valve 74. This connects ing force between the head and arm and the actual force the high pressu ie air at port 75 through port 78 and i opened valve 92 to the chamber 88 within the power cylinder 40 to move the piston 84 in a manner to shift the head from the position shown in FIG. 2. The opposite 39 and the connections 30 and 39 provides for a generally corresponding improved ratio of forces. By proper design, 5% chamber 89, prior to depression of the buttons 60 and position within the valve, the port 75 is connected to the 75 of a four-way valve 74 having four such ports 75, 76.

this force multiplicationcan be of the order of 3:1 or 4:1 so that the large pressing forces required can be generated by means of the single operating cylinder 40. i g is shifted, asnoted above, the connected ports 76 and,

FIG. 5 shows a simplified control suitable for operat- 77 bleed airfrom chamber 89 through the adjustable ing the power; cylinder 40 which complies with the two valve 81 which controls the advance of the piston 84 hand. safety standards necessary in the many states for within the cylinder. The controlled movement of the head. commercial presses. A pair of spaced control start but-. arm 26 eliminates the need of having a damper to elimitons and 61 are mounted on table 14 forrequired nate impact of the stops 46 and 48, and further the entwo-hand simultaneous operation. A stop button 63 is gagement of the press head against the buck. also mounted on the table 14 and can be used to open 60 Regarding the safety valve92, if the advance of the the press head manually, should such be desired. The parpiston 84 within thecylinder tending to reduce the volume ticular control shown is solely pneumatic, other than for of chamber 89 be delayed as by the head hitting the operan automatically actuated valve 112 which is operated by ator accidently, the bleed of? from the chamber 89 through a timer (not shown) to allow automatically timed pressthe needle valve 82 would reduce the pressure within' the ing cycles; chamber 87 below the maintenance pressure required to Ordinarily, line air 65 is passed through filter 67 and hold the normally closed safety valve 92 open. Thus open-closed valve 69 to a' pressure regulator which valve 92 would close to interrupt line pressure transfer rnaintains the pressure inthe system at some adjustable to the pressurizing chamber 88 and to stop'further press level, typically of the order of 60-80 p.s.i. The regulated head closing. On the other hand, the takeoff port 93 inlet line is directed through T 71 and line 72 to port 70 from the cylinder is traversed by the piston 84 and exposed to chamber 88 rc-ughly when the head is brought into siifficiently close proximity to the buck to preclude accidental trapping of ,part of the operators body besure air so that valve 92 was open. After the valve spool 77 and 78. The; valve has a moving spool 80 which is grooved in such a way (not shown) that in one opposite port 77 and the port 76 is connected to the port 78; 1'5 under normal pressing conditions.

phere, and the ports 77 and 78 are connected by lines depression of the startbuttons 60 and 61. The opposite 61, was connected through ports and 77 with line pres tween. the press and head, which maintains valve 92 open a The press will remain closed until such time as either valve 123 or 112 is opened. Each of these valves is normally closed, valve 123 being manually opened by button 63 and the valve 112 being opened automatically by a signal from a timer or the like (not shown). Upon either valve 112 or 123 being opened, the line pressure is transmitted through the shuttle valve 114 to pressurize the diaphragm actuator 118 to shift the spool 80 in the valve 74. This thereby communicates the port 78 with the exhaust port 76 and the inlet port 75 with port 77. The returg spring 50 as well as high pressure in chamber 89 thus initially elevates the head off the buck and further swings the head laterally relative to the buck to its open position.

What is claimed is:

1. In a garment press having a frame, a buck supported on the frame, and a head adapted to cooperate in pressing relationship with the buck, the combination of means for movirig the head between first, second and third positions relative to the buck, the first position being spaced laterally of the buck, the second position being opposed to but spaced slightly from the buck, and the third position pressing againstthe buck, the head moving means including a pair of arms, a pivotal connection between the arms, one arm having a connection to the head and the other arm having a pivotal connection to the frame, first stopson the arms, means causing the first stops to engage when the head is at the first position and permitting them to separate during the movement of the head between the second and third positions, second stops between the one head arm and the frame which engage during movement of the head between the second and third positions to orient the head opposite the buck and which are separated when the head is in the first position, and a power means between the frame and other arm.

2. In a garment press combination according to claim 1, further providing that the pivotal connection between thearms is located generally in line with the direction of travel of the head between its second and third positions and the pivotal connection of the other arm to the frame is located laterally of the arms pivotal connection as related to said head travel direction.

3. In a garment press combination according to claim 2, further providing that a line through the pivotal connections is at right angles to the direction of said head travel sometime during said head travel between the second and third positions.

4. In apress having a frame, a buck supported on the frame, and a complementary head adapted to cooperate with the buck, the combination of means for moving the head relative to the buck, comprising a pair of arms, a pivotal connection between the arms, one arm having a connection to the head and the other arm having a pivotal connection to the frame, said pivotal connections being laterally spaced apart and the arm pivotal connection underlying the buck on the side thereof opposite the head, means limiting rotation of the one arm relative to the other arm in one rotational direction, means limiting rotation of the one arm relative to the frame in the same rotational direction and whereat the head is oriented opposite the buck, said rotation limiting means being effective at different orientations of the arms, and a power means between the other arm and frame, whereby in one orientation of the arms the head is spaced laterally of the buck and only the first mentioned rotation limiting means is effective, whereby in a second orientation of the arms the head is opposed to but spaced slightly from the buck, and whereby in a third orientation of the arms the head is against the buck and only the second mentioned rotation limiting means is effective.

5. A press combination according to claim 4, wherein both rotation limiting means are effective when the arms are in the second orientation.

6. A press combination according to claim 4, wherein the second mentioned rotation limiting means includes a stop means having a rotatable mount and having an engaging surface curved circularly about said mount.

7. A press combination according to claim 4, wherein the power means includes a power cylinder having opposed chambers, and means for operating the power cylinder including a source of high pressure air and a four-way valve having a first pair of outlets connected respectively to the opposed chambers and having a second pair of outlets connected respectively to the source of high pressure air and to exhaust, the valve having alternate operative positions whereat respectively the outlets of the first pair of outlets communicate individually with the outlets of the second pair of outlets, and means for actuating the valve between the operative positions including opposed diaphragm actuators and a first pair of normally closed valves in series connection between the source of high pressure air and one diaphragm actuator and a second pair of normally closed valves each in series with a shuttle valve between the source of high pressure air and the other diaphragm actuator, whereby the first pair of valves must be simultaneously opened to move the head to the third position pressing against the buck and wherein either of the second pair of valves can be momentarily opened to move the head to the first position laterally spaced from the buck.

8. A press combination according to claim 7, wherein a normally closed valve is located in the conection from one of the first pair of outlets to its respective chamber, and pressure means supplied from a take-01f port from the power cylinder at the opposite chamber normally maintains the valve open.

9. A press combination according to claim 8, wherein said take-off port is located relative to the power cylinder to be traversed by the piston when the head is at the second position.

10. In a press having a frame, a buck on the frame, and a head adapted to cooperate with the buck, the combination of means including a power cylinder having opposed chambers operable to support and move the head between a first position spaced from the buck and a second position pressing against the buck, and means for operating the power cylinder including a source of high pressure air and a four-way valve having a first pair of outlets connected respectively to the opposed chambers and having a second pair of outlets connected respectively to the source of high pressure air and to exhaust, the valve having alternate operative positions whereat respectively the outlets of the first pair of outlets communicate individually with the outlets of the second pair of outlets, and means for actuating the valve between the operative positions including opposed diaphragm actuators and a first pair of normally closed valves in series connection between the source of high pressure air and one diaphragm actuator and a second pair of normally closed valves each in series with a shuttle valve between the source of high pressure air and the other diaphragm actuator, whereby the first pair of valves must be simultaneously opened to move the head against the buck and wherein either of the second pair of valves can be momentarily opened to move the head to be spaced from the buck.

11. A press combination according to claim 10, wherein an adjustable restriction is located on the exhaust outlet for controlled venting of the respective chamber.

12. A press combination according to claim 10, wherein one of the second pair of valves is actuated by a timer for eifecting an automatically timed cycle.

13. In a press having a frame, a buck on the frame, and a head adapted to cooperate with the buck, the combination of a head arm connected to the head and adapted to swing bout a fixed pivot axis in a manner to shift the head between a first position separated laterally from the buck and a second position spaced from but opposed to the buck, means to support the head arm including a power mean s arm connected to the frame for rotation about said pivot axis and rotatably connected to the head arm and means normally locking the arms relative to one another during the head movement between the first and second positions, means operable to stop rotation of the head arm about the pivot axis beyond Where the head is in the second position and thereafter to accommodate movement of the head arm in a direction toward the buck, whereby rotation of the power means arm beyond the orientation corresponding to Where the head is in the second position rotates the arms relative to one another and moves the head from the second position to a third position against the buck, and means to rotate the power means arm.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/ 1949 Howlett 3835 7/1953 Schultz 38-41 X 6/1952 Dayton 38-35 12/ 1955 Campbell 3835 10 /1966 Tucker 3840 12/ 1968 Dachtler 38-41 US. Cl. X.R. 

